Our Commitment to Equality of Opportunity
As an institution, equality of opportunity in higher education locally, regionally, and nationally, is a key part of who we are. By supporting underrepresented groups in accessing and being successful in higher education, we are ensuring that we encourage excellence from all walks of life, strengthening our diverse One Community.
We are achieving this through outreach in schools and communities, implementing processes and policies which level the playing field for getting into university, and providing ongoing, dedicated support throughout students’ studies.
All of our work is underpinned by our Access and Participation Plan, which outlines how we are going to create a university that serves everyone in our One Community. The plan, which must be approved by the Office for Students, details the interventions that the 51²è¹Ýapp will make to improve access, student success, and progression into employment or further education for underrepresented groups. This may include outreach work, financial support, careers and employability guidance, academic support, and much more. We also have a summary of our Access and Participation Plan.
Getting to University
Our support begins before you enrol at 51²è¹Ýapp. We have developed a number of procedures and policies that recognise the different barriers facing students, and are designed to help level the playing field for students applying to the University.
Contextual Offers
At 51²è¹Ýapp, we recognise that not everybody has had the same advice and support to help them get to higher education. It’s important to us to have a diverse, inclusive university community with students and staff who bring a range of voices and experiences.
Contextual offers are one of the ways we remove the barriers to higher education, ensuring that we have fair access for all students regardless of background and personal experiences. To make it fairer, we consider the information you give us on your UCAS form about your personal circumstances and the impact these might have on your qualifications when we make a decision on your application.
You can find out more about contextual offers on our Offer Guide pages.
Scholarships and Bursaries
We offer a range of merit-based and subject-specific scholarships and bursaries for eligible undergraduate students going to university for the first time. Some of these are applied directly to students through information disclosed during application, and some are available for students to apply for. The full list of scholarships and bursaries which the University offers are available, and you can explore some examples below.
Supporting You at University
Our commitment to improving access and participation continues while you are studying with us. From financial support, through to helping you to plan for the future and start your dream career, we have dedicated services in place for you.
Creating a More Inclusive Community
We recognise that access and participation needs to be embedded into the entire culture of the University. Our One Community values define our One Community ethos and ensure that respectful and inclusive behaviours lie at the heart of all we do. We value equality, understanding, listening, kindness, and acceptance, which means that whoever you are and wherever you come from, you are part of our university. That is why, led by the University's Eleanor Glanville Institute, we are challenging traditional approaches to areas such as equality, diversity, and inclusion with transformational and progressive practices, and aim to create a more inclusive environment for our staff and students. Additionally, as part of an effort to bring marginalised voices to the forefront, we are also striving to decolonise the University across areas such as curriculum, library, and research.